The Changeling Way
by Jonny Manz
Summary: Love is like food for the changelings, but for most of them, it doesn't go much deeper than that. And identity is a thorny issue they often must face. Now, Buzzby the changeling undergoes an ordeal in which he's forced to confront that, and explore just how the ponies and changelings get along. Contest entry for Equestria Daily's Outside Insight fic contest.


The Changeling Way

A My Little Pony fan fiction written by Jonny Manz

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We changelings have the ability to turn into ponies, any pony we wish to. But you already know that. You may be wondering about our sense of identity, and honestly, it is a common worry, a decidedly thorny issue of changelings young and old alike. I didn't worry about that when I was younger, though. Moreover, not many changelings have the ability to feel love; sure, they can feed on it, but overall, they really can't feel it for themselves. Here, let me show you.

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"State your name and purpose." I remember quite clearly that instructor's voice. How to describe it? Well, I'd say there was just the slightest hint of raspiness, but… ah, I'm getting sidetracked. What I remember most was the commanding nature of it, befitting of one in his position (all the more impressive that he never even had to raise his voice to make it clear that he was the one in command).

"I am a proud future drone of the Queen!" Ah, back in the days of the hive school. Simpler times, they were.

"State your classification." Sure, his desk was only about 1 meter off the ground in front of me, but with his commanding presence, it may as well have been 10 meters overhead and headed straight for a rough landing on my head.

"Larval First Class!" Spending my days not having to think, letting the hivemind handle all that, just worrying about serving the Queen.

"I see you began this year as a Paralarval Second Class. Quite an increase in a single year, wouldn't you say?"

"Well, you know how it is, when there's our radiant Queen to inspire us!" Looking back now as a jaded adult, I realize how foolish it was, only worrying about serving and (possibly) sacrificing my life in order to serve the Queen and end up in the Great Beyond.

"Yep; but is it truly your love for the Queen that inspires you? Or are you just fearful of being sent to Tartarus when you die, by the hivemind?"

"Well, uh… I…"

"Oh, don't worry, you don't have to answer that one; I've gotten used to not getting an answer whenever I ask that of students of your age. Frankly, it's more of a joke for my sake; a little entertainment in this dull job."

"Uh… huh?" I don't remember my reply to him beyond that, because frankly, it's his words that stuck with me.

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"...and that is why I am so proud of each and every one of you, and know you will all be good and loyal drones in Her Majesty's service! Make us all proud! You have all officially passed through the pupa stages and are now officially adults!" Ah yes, the excitement of graduation day, when we finally finished hive school. The decision of whether to join Her Majesty's drone army or continue on to a higher education school - from what I've picked up, the ponies would call it either a "college" or a "university", but I'm just rambling again, so I digress. For what it's worth, the colloquial term for it is the HiEd, though I'm guessing that's not all that hard to figure out.

Anyway, I'm sure you can guess my choice; I went to the school. I don't, frankly, like to fight, and so it definitely seemed like the most logical choice to me. We changelings aren't _completely_ limited in our free will - we are allowed to make some decisions without being forced into a path by the hivemind. Of course, compared to the ponies of Equestria, yes, there is virtually no freedom, but… actually, I have plenty on the ponies further on in this story of mine, so I think I shall save it for that point.

I remember distinctly walking towards home with two of my closest friends back then, Chrys and Zoey.

"So, what do you wanna do, being graduates and all now?" Chrys asked.

I replied, "Well, I was thinking of joining the HiEd, and then… y'know, I really don't know what I'll do after that…"

"No, no, no, not that far off in the future, man! You know I think thinking that far ahead is overrated. I meant, what do you wanna do tonight?"

"Um, well, I was planning on going home and studying, being that I still have to apply and take the entrance exam for HiEd and all…"

"Aw, c'mon, you're no fun," Chrys chided me, "Loosen up a little, have some fun with us tonight. Y'know you want to-"

"C'mon, give the guy a break," Zoey interjected, "I think it's clear that he's pretty comfortable with his identity as the straightlaced, studious little changeling - although it wouldn't kill him to cut loose a little, have some fun tonight."

"Well… I guess I could come and party a little bit before I head home to study. After all, you know what they say - all work and no play makes Buzzby a dull boy, or something like that," I chuckled, before continuing, "But where exactly is this party?"

"Just swing by The Grille around 5 or so. Trust me, you won't be able to miss it! Don't worry, there'll be plenty of lust to go around!" Were parties really the only thing that ever got Chrys excited? Honestly, it sure seemed like that was the case.

/

"Alright, you made it! I was wondering if you were gonna show, man!"

"Haha, uh, sorry about that; I got so caught up in studying that I nearly forgot!" Yeah right, that was an excuse I used a lot, though thankfully, I don't think Chrys ever really picked up on it. Zoey, now I'm sure she knew, but she (thankfully) never said anything about it.

The rest of the party was, frankly, unremarkable, as far as parties go. If I had to name the most memorable instance, it was probably the hivemind police being called in on a noise complaint early on. Other than that, it was just some dancing, some good food (okay, some really good food) and, like Chrys promised, there was plenty of lust. I mean, I like a nice glass of it once in a while… well, anyway, you're going to have to indulge this old fool if he rambles sometimes.

Regardless, the interesting stuff started happening soon after the party's conclusion.

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"Open up, this is the hivemind police!"

What's funny is that I remember thinking to myself, 'Oh great, did somebody else make a noise complaint? I mean, the party's over now!' To be so young and naïve, how I do miss those days. I think I remember that thought so well because it was the last time I ever felt that way. "We have a warrant for the changeling drone Chrys's arrest!"

"Huh? Whuu'd I do?" Chrys slurred, obviously having had just a bit too much lust.

"You are charged with aiding changelings in subverting the hivemind's control, forcing many to experience free will! You have the right to remain silent…"

I don't remember much after that; frankly, it's all just a blur after that. I remember thinking to myself, 'What? Subverting the hivemind? How?'

"Hey, c'mon Buzzby, snap out of it!" Zoey shouted while shaking me. That's the first distinct memory I have after the hivemind police took Chrys away. "C'mon, let's go see Chrys! We should also get him a good defense!"

I quickly agreed and we were off.

/

"Chrys! Chrys! What's going on? Why'd they arrest you? Why'd they accuse you of subverting the hivemind?!" I was so nervous, I couldn't stop the questions from coming out a mile a minute.

"Relax, it's all gonna be fine," Chrys replied, in a surprisingly sensible voice for someone who was intoxicated. "I've got a plan and everything in place, so you and Zoey don't need to worry about anything. Oh, and I was faking the intoxication; I figure they listen less closely to conversations when they think one of the changelings is intoxicated." Ah, that explains it.

"Are you sure? I dunno, something about that gets me worried."

"Don't worry, Zoey, like I said, I've got a plan; everything is under control."

/

"And you're sure about this?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm not at all ashamed of what I did, letting some changelings experience some true free will, even if it was just a fleeting image, not to last. I'm pleading guilty to it because if I try to pretend that it never happened, if I try to get out of it, I'll lose those feelings. I feel that what I did is right and justified, and I readily accept the consequences." Y'know, it's funny, despite how large that courtroom was, I don't think Chrys had ever looked bigger than at that very moment

"Alright, then, I have no choice in the matter," the judge boomed, "You, the changeling drone Chrys, are hereby found guilty of subversion of hivemind control, and sentenced to death by decapitation, as specified under hivemind law!"

"WHAT?! NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Zoey was in hysterics by this point; while I was doing my best to restrain her, I just wanted to curl up into a little ball and shut the world out. Chrys - sentenced to death? No, this had to just be some crazy dream, that I was having while having fallen asleep while studying for the HiEd; I'd wake up the next morning and Chrys and Zoey would be headed off to drone army training camp, and I'd see them off…

"Oh, and Zoey, I just want you to know… you always were the one most special to me. If there's one thing in my life that I'm ashamed of, one regret I have, it's that I wasn't able to admit my feelings for you until I'm sentenced to die."

At this point Zoey broke free from me and ran for Chrys, giving me a good accidental smack in the face as well, and it was also at this point that I was forced to confront the fact that this was actually happening. Unfortunately, the guards leading him from the courtroom smacked Zoey down with relative ease.

"And to Buzzby - make special things happen with that big mind of yours. I always did envy that about you. Even if you do end up forgetting me, as your mind might be strong enough to resist the influence of the hivemind."

I think I'm finally starting to understand what he meant. Underneath the goofy exterior lay perhaps the wisest changeling I ever had the privilege of knowing.

/

"Let this be a lesson to you all! If you are good and obedient, the hivemind will protect you, keep you safe from all harm! Should you turn your back on it, however, this is the just punishment you will receive!" Never before had I been so absolutely terrified of one solitary changeling as I was of that executioner.

The next sound I remember was the sound of the blade of the guillotine reaching the bottom. I didn't even stay to look after that, I just started running, and eventually, flying. Where to, I didn't know at the time.

/

I remember flying over Dimondia, but decided against landing there, as not only were the locals… frankly, far too simple-minded for my liking, but there would have been no way for me to blend in. I eventually settled on Equestria.

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"Now remember, class, as changelings, you have all been granted the great gift of shapeshifting into any pony of your choice. Use it wisely, and you can infiltrate the ponies with no problem, for the sake of Her Majesty, and the hivemind! Ah, that must be the bell. Class dismissed!"

"Man, can you imagine not being able to change your identity, being stuck with the same appearance, voice, and everything for your whole life? It sure must suck being a pony," I so clearly remember Chrys saying.

"Well, I'm sure it must be nice, being able to have a set identity, and know what that is for your life," I replied, "and it really must be cool to be able to generate love."

"Good point, but what good is love to those ponies? It's not like they have any ways of putting it to use. Anyway, I don't even worry about it, because worrying about the future sucks," Chrys quipped in the way only he could.

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'Well, I must be a pretty big sucker then, Chrys, to even consider living out my days amongst the ponies,' I remember thinking to myself.

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"And that brings us up to now," I said. "Well, there is a certain purple pony that I often admire from afar, as I feel her studying and dedication to learning outstrip my own; but I could never approach her; after that Canterlot disaster, I'm sure the last thing she would want to see would be a changeling."

"You mean Twilight Sparkle, right?" the little filly asked.

"Is that her name? I suppose so. Also, could you keep this our little secret? I'm not so sure changelings would be accepted anywhere in Ponyville now, after that debacle."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that; it's me, don't you recognize me?" And there suddenly, before my eyes, was Zoey, whom I had given up all hope of ever seeing again.

"But how? I thought you joined the drone army!"

"I did; I was one of its leaders, in fact. I deserted afterwards; after seeing just what the hivemind does to us, and I wasn't alone. I'll introduce you tomorrow to those who deserted alongside me tomorrow, but let's just catch up today."

"What about the Queen?"

"It's sad, she was nothing like what we were led to believe; I think she was just a figurehead for the hivemind, ultimately."

"So… you've been living in Ponyville since then? Who were you?"

"I was a filly; after all, I loved being a child. I also adopted the name 'Noi', as I feel it's cute, but it also stands for 'no identity', which is frankly how I felt after leaving the influence of the hivemind."

"I guess… we'll have to try to forge out new identities? I mean, it will certainly be nice, not having to worry about what we'll be tomorrow, or the day after that, and so on."

And so, we went, confident that we could come to love our new lives living in harmony amongst the ponies (without their knowledge, granted, but still).

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Disclaimer: I make no claim to My Little Pony, as that is owned by Hasbro.


End file.
